Similarly the chances of securing the wrist twist taught in the first defense against downward blow are only about one in ten against a man with a knife.
The tactics taught in the second defense against upward blow are much more effective and reliable. See remarks below, under first defense against upward blow of knife.
In teaching men who were going to the war, all the training was directed towards making them kick or hit a vital spot rather than try for a hold.
Mr. Haneishi, the jujitsu expert I brought from Japan with me, besides being a professional teacher of the art is also a bone-setter, and general first-aid practitioner.
He was once called in to render first aid to a burglar who had come off second-best in an encounter with a householder. When Mr. Haneishi arrived on the scene the burglar was dead, and blood was trickling from his mouth.
"Ah, you struck him on the mouth," observed Mr. Haneishi.
"No, I gave him suigetsu [solar plexus strike]," replied the householder, who was over sixty, and from the use of this technical jujitsu term the old man revealed himself as a graduate of the school of jujitsu.
It seems that the burglar threatened him by brandishing a two-handed, razor-edged Japanese sword over his head, and demanded his money.
The old man advanced to give this, and the moment he was close up delivered the blow shown in Figure 133 with deadly effect. The man collapsed, and blood rushed from his mouth, showing that his internal organs were ruptured by the blow, which is delivered with a penetrating effect and an upward direction.
Lesson 23: First defense against upward blow of knife.
Lesson 24: Second defense against upward blow of knife.
Lesson 25: How to parry a blow, teaching unbalancing.
Lesson 26: How to sidestep a blow, teaching agility.
Lesson 27: Quickest way to throw a man after catching his foot.
Lesson 28: The inside catch: The backheel. Foot parry to kick.
Lesson 29: Going to the assistance of a friend.
Lesson 30: The elbow block.

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Make a check mark against each lesson each day you practice it.


FIRST DEFENSE AGAINST UPWARD BLOW OF KNIFE
Block his blow with your left hand, taking care that your forearm is held correctly, otherwise you may get cut.
Seize the little finger side of his right hand with your right hand, and the thumb side of his hand with your other hand, your fingers on the palm.
(Before doing this trick practice the preliminary exercise for the wrist twist in Book 1.)
Twist his wrist to your left until he drops the knife.
You can either break his wrist or force him to the ground and kick him.
(Observe my positions in Figures 135 and 136, and note how the strength of the whole body is brought to bear.)
His wrist is twisted not by arm strength alone, but by turning the body.
The parry shown in Figure 134 is not nearly so good as the parry shown in Figure 138.
In Figure 134 the Assailant is still balanced and can continue to attack. In Figure 138 you can swing him off balance and he is then open to the knee kick to his crotch, a right hook to his jaw with your fist, or a blow with the heel of the hand below his chin.
A combination of the last three blows is much more reliable than an attempt to seize the hand of a quick knife-artist.


SECOND DEFENSE AGAINST UPWARD BLOW OF KNIFE
Assailant strikes an upward blow at your abdomen with the knife in his right hand.
Step back with your right foot, swinging on the ball of the left.
Parry the blow just at his elbow with your left hand. Keep your elbow close to your side.
Take advantage of his forward impetus and unbalance him to his left.
Strike him an upward blow below the chin with the heel of your hand.
This jerks his head back and the shock to his spine does greater damage than the blow itself.
Some women's wrists and hands are so weak that they cannot strike a serious blow with the fist. But they can with the heel of the hand.
If you are a good boxer you may use the right hook to the jaw.
(In practice, shove his head back, do not strike.)
This shows the WRONG WAY to parry the blow.
1. It takes longer to parry when you raise your elbow in this awkward fashion.
2. You are off balance and not in the best position to counter attack.
3. Your body is still in front and he may reach it with his knife.
HOW TO PARRY A BLOW
Suppose you try to frustrate an attack by parrying Assailant's left forearm with your right hand.
You deflect the blow of his left arm, certainly, but you leave him in a position to use his right.
Make your parry at the elbow and you will turn his whole body round and get him off balance, leaving an opening for a right hook to the jaw or whatever method of attack you may choose.
Take the position of each of these illustrations and go through the motions of parrying numerous blows.
This exercise is not to give you quickness in parrying, but, having parried, it teaches you the correct angle at which to unbalance your Assailant.
Quickness is cultivated in the next lesson.


THE SIDESTEP
Starting with the right foot behind him, Assailant lunges forward and makes a straight thrust at your abdomen.
Swing back the right foot, turning on the ball of the left, keeping your body perfectly erect and let the blow go past.


NOTES ON PRACTICE OF SIDESTEP
Practice the sidestep frequently, it is one of the best exercises for training you to quickness of eye and agility of movement.
I have never seen anyone but a jujitsu man make a movement exactly like this or the jujitsu kick, and it took years of observation and practice to discover just what they were doing, and how they did it.
With the illustrations and instructions given here, there is no reason why the reader should not master it right away.
Compare illustrations 144 and 145. The body swings round on the ball of the left foot, just like a door, the effort, the motive power, comes from the Stahara.
In Figure 145 the weight is evenly balanced between the legs, the knees are slightly bent, the body limber.
Have Assailant lunge at you with left hand also, swing back the left foot, turning on the ball of the right.


SIDESTEPPING THE KICK
Devote a good deal of time to this practice, both with right and left feet. See Figures 146 and 147.
My Assailant in Figure 146 is kicking with the jujitsu kick with the knee bent. This is such a swift kick that it is almost impossible to catch it. Do not let this fact worry you as you can learn to sidestep a great deal faster than the ordinary person can kick.
In practice, at first, Assailant should kick with the knee straight.


THE JUJITSU KICK
The jujitsu kick is given by raising the knee simultaneously with the toe flying out. The foot travels at a terrific speed, and the recovery is equally rapid, the foot being at once returned to the ground, or the kick repeated.
The great secret about the jujitsu kick both with regard to the speed and also the force of the blow is that the whole weight of the body goes into it. In practice "Put your Stahara" into it, and you will soon get it.
This kick is used only in emergencies of life or death.


QUICKEST WAY TO THROW A MAN AFTER CATCHING HIS LEG
When Assailant kicks at you, you should have sensed his intention almost before his foot has left the ground.
Suppose he kicks with his left foot.
You swing back your left foot, turning on the ball of your right so that you sidestep his kick.
At the same time catch his leg with your right hand.
Do not stop his leg when you catch it, but swing it up in the direction in which he is kicking.
This will at once put him right off balance.
Swing it right up and shove it back a little and he will fall back hard enough to be knocked out.
When you practice this have a third party ready to catch the man who is thrown, otherwise your studies will probably be discontinued through sudden cessation of interest by the party of the second part.
You can practice it without throwing him.
The whole trick is done with one swift movement.


THE INSIDE CATCH
Sometimes you may catch a man's leg inside, instead of outside. That is, you might sidestep to the left and catch his left foot with your left hand.
That is not so scientific as the outside catch, as it leaves you more open to an attack from his hands.
The best method of throwing him here is the same as in the outside catch. Raise his leg right up and throw him over backwards.


THE BACKHEEL
Here is another method. Change his leg over to your right hand. Bring your left hand onto his shoulder (in a fight, onto his throat), unbalancing him backwards, stepping inside his right heel with your left foot.
In practice it is unnecessary to throw him.
Just get him off balance to the point where you know you could throw him.
Retain your own balance by keeping your strength in the Stahara.


UNSCIENTIFIC METHOD
Your arm is round his waist and you are throwing him by strength. It is much slower, and he can hold on to you and perhaps prevent your throwing him
In Figure 151, by placing your hand on his shoulder you instantly unbalance him and take away his strength.
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